Garland County upgrades DataScout

Besides minor interface upgrades to the website and property information already available on all properties, users will now be able to access parcel boundary maps. This upgrade is provided by DataScout LLC at no additional cost to Garland County, or to the public using actDataScout.com.

Thompson said he is glad to provide the mapping information in an online format. A considerable effort has been made over the past few years in Garland County to develop this mapping information. The county has not been completely mapped, but Thompson believes that providing some of the mapping data available online is better than not providing any online mapping data.

As mapping data gets developed in Garland County, then Thompson plans to also provide that mapping information on actDataScout.com.

Perhaps the most beneficial additions to actDataScout.com are related to the "professional" real property search. Geared toward the real-estate professional, it allows subscribers to query the Garland County real-estate database by more than 40 fields.

In addition to this more powerful search engine, subscribers will be able to use the interactive map viewer which allows for "point and click" parcel identification, and displays many layers such as Section-Township-Range, oil and gas wells, school districts boundaries, soil type layers, public land, etc., as well as incorporating measuring and print tools within the map.

Besides the ongoing challenge of developing fair and equitable property valuations, Thompson’s vision for the assessor’s office is to be the best public servant his office can be. Thompson feels these enhancements to an already "powerful, high traffic" actDataScout.com will only increase as the public continues to be able to easily and conveniently access public records. Thompson feels actDataScout.com "will continue to change the way our public does business in the future."